Cambodia E-Visa: Your Complete Guide on Visa Application
Foreign nationals have to apply for a visa to enter Cambodia. While the conventional visa application process can be time-consuming and full of hassles, the country’s government has started an e-visa service that allows tourists to apply for and receive their visas in an online process.While this service has definitely helped travelers in saving time on the formalities, there are still some discrepancies that need addressing. In this article, we will go through the entire e-visa application process, the prices involved and the advantages and disadvantages of the process.
But first, let’s talk about why it’s easier for travelers to the country to apply for the e-visa instead of opting for the conventional visa.
Why Go for a Cambodia E-Visa?
Before the e-visa system was developed, travelers had to queue up after landing at one of the country’s international airports to receive an on-the-spot visa.While this system did work until a few years back, nowadays, it has become rather time-consuming. With the country seeing an increasing number of arrivals, the queues can be long. Sometimes, they are so long that travelers may find themselves waiting for hours before they finally get their visas.
Seeing this predicament, the Cambodian government started the e-visa initiative, which was meant to provide visas to both businessmen and travelers in a hassle-free manner.
The Application Process
Alright! So now that you know why travelers these days are choosing e-visas over conventional visas, let’s go through the entire application process in a step-by-step manner.• Go to the Website: So the first step in your Cambodia e-visa application process involves going to the official e-visa website.
On this website, travelers need to fill up a form to apply for the e-visa and then upload a photo (just the face) in either PNG or JPG format.
• Download the Cambodia E-Visa App: If you primarily use a mobile device such as a smartphone, you could also choose to apply via an app.
To do this, you need to download an app based on your operating system. There are different versions for Android and Apple users. Once you have downloaded the app, you can follow the same procedure as you would have to on the website to apply for the e-visa.
• Make the Necessary Payments: Once you have filled up the application form and submitted it, it’s time to pay for the e-visa.
A Cambodia e-visa is priced at $37, the payment for which has to be made using a valid credit card.
• Wait for the Approval E-mail: After the payments are successfully cleared, all you need to do is wait for the approval e-mail that would be sent to you by the authorities.
While most applications are approved within a 24-hour period, applicants may sometimes have to wait for two or three days before they receive their approval e-mails.
• Check Visa Status or Change Details Online: If there’s an unusual delay in receiving the approval mail, you can check the visa status online. You can even change certain application details if you need to.
• Take Two Printouts of the E-visa: Once you receive the approval e-mail, you can find your Cambodia e-visa attached in the mail as a PDF document.
Remember to take two printouts of this PDF document, as you would need to submit copies of the e-visa twice in Cambodia; once during entry and once during exit.
Submission of the E-visa in Cambodia
As stated before, you need to keep two printouts of the Cambodia e-visa. For submitting one copy as you enter Cambodia, you need to first fill up an entry card.After filling up the entry card, you need to present your passport, e-visa printout and entry card to the immigration officer.
As you are about to leave the country after you complete your trip, you need to fill up an exit card and present it along with your passport and the other printout to the immigration officer.
The Validity of Cambodia E-visa
A Cambodia e-visa is valid for a minimum stay duration of 24 hours and a maximum stay duration of 30 days. The visa remains valid for entry and exit to and from the country for a period of 90 days from the issuing date.Entry and Exit Points
Travelers to Cambodia can enter the country using e-visas via the following international airports:• Phnom Penh International Airport
• Siem Reap International Airport
• Sihanoukville International Airport
The e-visas can also be used at the following border crossings in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam for entry into Cambodia:• Cham Yeam (Thailand)
• Poi Pet (Thailand)
• Tropaeng Kreal Border Post (Laos)
• Bavet (Vietnam)
To exit the country using an e-visa, travelers can leave via any international border crossing.
The Pros and Cons
Some of the advantages of the e-visa system are:• Applying for and receiving a Cambodia e-visa are completely hassle-free.
• The Siem Reap and Phnom Penh international airports boast of a dedicated counter for people arriving with e-visas, making entry into the country even faster.
However, there are some disadvantages as well:• Travelers cannot apply for a Cambodia e-visa more than 90 days prior to the date of entry.
• The e-visa suits tourists and travelers more than it does businessmen as it is a single entry visa that can be extended only once.
• For businessmen and people who need to make multiple trips to Cambodia, a business visa is still the first choice. However, you can’t apply for a Cambodia business visa online.
All in all, the e-visa is a great way to enter and exit Cambodia in a smooth and seamless manner.